Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe: Moist Banana Loaf with Chocolate Chips

This chocolate chip banana bread is light, fluffy, perfectly moist, and full of banana and chocolate flavor.

Why I love this recipe:

• It uses ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.
• It’s simple to prepare using a one‑bowl method.
• No special equipment like a stand mixer is required.
• The recipe is flexible — swap chocolate chips for chopped nuts, add cinnamon for extra warmth, use oil instead of butter, or replace yogurt with sour cream or buttermilk.

Ingredients needed to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1. 3 medium very ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
2. 2 eggs
3. 6 tbsp (85 g) melted butter or oil
4. 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
5. 1/3 cup (66 g) white sugar (increase to 3/4 cup if omitting chocolate chips)
6. 1/4 cup (65 g) yogurt
7. 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
8. 2 cups (260 g) all‑purpose flour
9. 1/8 tsp salt
10. 1/2 tsp baking soda
11. 1/2 tsp baking powder
12. 1 cup (175 g) semi‑sweet or milk chocolate chips

Note: The bananas and chocolate chips add sweetness, so the recipe keeps sugar moderate. If you prefer a sweeter loaf, add a few more tablespoons of sugar.

How to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

1. Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 9 × 5 inch (23 × 13 cm) loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray and set aside.

2. Mix the dry ingredients

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.

3. Combine the wet ingredients

Mash the very ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until smooth with no large chunks. Add the cooled melted butter (or oil), brown and white sugars, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until homogenous.

When you add the flour, fold gently. Overmixing can develop gluten and make the bread tough. Use the minimum number of folds needed to combine the wet and dry ingredients so the loaf stays soft and tender.

4. Add chocolate chips and transfer to pan

Fold in the chocolate chips just until distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top if desired.

5. Bake

Bake in the preheated oven at 325°F (165°C) for about 70–75 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on pan size; a wider pan will reduce baking time by roughly 10 minutes.

Test for doneness by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the center. A few moist crumbs or small streaks of melted chocolate are normal — the skewer should not be wet with batter. Let the loaf rest in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

Tips and variations

Best bananas to use

Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown speckles or mostly brown skins. As bananas ripen they become sweeter and more flavorful — they also contribute moisture and aroma. This recipe uses about 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (roughly 3 medium bananas) for a pronounced banana flavor.

Butter vs. oil

You can substitute any neutral vegetable oil for melted butter; oil will yield a moister crumb. Butter adds richer flavor, which many prefer.

Softened butter instead of melted

Using softened butter requires creaming it with sugar first, which produces a slightly denser loaf. If you choose this method, cream sugar and softened butter, then add mashed bananas, eggs, and the rest of the ingredients.

Sugar options

Use white sugar, brown sugar, or a combination. Brown sugar adds caramel notes, a darker color, and extra moisture. White sugar yields a paler loaf. A mix balances flavor and texture.

Yogurt substitutions

If you don’t have yogurt, use sour cream, buttermilk, or Greek yogurt. You can also make a quick yogurt substitute by combining 1/4 cup milk with 2 tsp lemon juice and letting it sit briefly.

Baking powder and baking soda

This recipe uses both baking soda and baking powder. Bananas are dense, so the combination gives a reliable rise and a light crumb. The yogurt provides acidity to activate the baking soda. If you omit yogurt, increase baking powder to about 2 tsp and remove the baking soda.

Egg substitutes

To replace 2 eggs, use 1/4 cup extra mashed banana or 1/4 cup applesauce plus 1/4 cup yogurt and 1/2 tsp baking soda. In general, replace each egg with about 1/4 cup of an acidic binder plus 1/4 tsp baking soda for best results.

Chocolate choices

Semi‑sweet or milk chocolate chips work well. If you don’t have chips, finely chop a chocolate bar to use instead.

Make muffins

This batter adapts easily to muffins. Use a standard muffin tin and bake for about 23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Freezing

Banana bread freezes beautifully. Cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. You can freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for convenient reheating.

Printable Recipe

If you try this recipe, let us know how it turned out!